Through-feed machines with automatic transfer mechanisms



March 29, 1955 D. B. M ILVIN ETAL 2,704,932

THROUGH-FEEDMACHINES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFER MECHANISMS Filed Feb. 7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 i; ea 48 44 /20 66 FE /nvem0ms' Donaid B. NC [win John G. /7'0//z'c/( 6K f/zeitorney v -1 March 29, 1955 D. B. MclLVlN ET AL I 2,704,932

THROUGH-FEED MACHINES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFER MECHANISMS Filed Feb. 7. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 L'LLLLL/LL frwerztoms' Donald ENC/211m Jo/zn Q/Z'olh'ck March 29, 1955 D. B. MclLVlN arm.

THROUGH-FEED MACHINES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFER MECHANISMS Filed Feb. 7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet ZS lrwerzzons" Donald B. NC [II/in John 6% H011 z' c If flgeig ttor M r 1955 D. B. M ILVIN ETAL. 2,704,932

THROUGH-FEED MACHINES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFER MECHANISMS Filed Feb. 7. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lnuerzzows Donald B. Mc/Zvin John G. Ho/h'cK Zhei Am March 29, 1955 D. MclLvlN ETAL 2,704,932

THROUGH-FEED MACHINES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFER MECHANISMS Filed Feb. 7, 1952 s Shets-Sheet 5 BfAR/NG BL OCK FOR NORMALLY OPEN OWE/2 BED ROLL 24 SWITCH c B CONVEYOR IEO 11 ARM 78 T OR 80 h1 4| NOR/IALLY CLOSD CONT-ACTOR D V o .SOLENO/O J .OJQERA 2'50 M CLUTCH V 5 FOR v CONVEYOR MOTOR 30 [2706)? tons Donald Ne [Zr/in United States Patent THROUGH-FEED MACHINES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSFER MECHANISMS Donald B. Mcllvin, Danvers, and John G. Hollick, Beverly, Mass., assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 7, 1952, Serial No. 270,382

19 Claims. (Cl. 69-1) This invention relates to a transfer device cooperatively associated with a machine or series of machines for working on separate pieces of sheet-like material and is herein illustrated as being associated with a through-feed machine for working on hides and skins of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,433,352, granted December 30, 1947, in the name of David Edgar. It is understood, however, that in its broader aspects this invention is not limited to use in cooperation with this particular type of through-feed machine nor to use in cooperation with a through-feed machine adapted to work on hides or skins.

Hides and skins are customarily subjected to a series of operations to secure the ultimate leather products desired by the tanning industry. In each of these operations and including such steps as unhairing, glazing, putting-out, and fleshing, a separate operator has heretofore been necessary and that operator customarily has been required to withdraw and reverse each work piece and operate his single machine through two cycles for that work piece.

The need for recycling each machine completely to treat a given work piece has been eliminated in the use of a through-feed machine as disclosed in the aforementioned Edgar patent. Another through-feed machine is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,637,193, granted May 5, 1953, in the names of Donald B. Mcllvin and Arthur R. Abbott. The term through-feed machine, as used in the present application and claims, refers to a machine capable of performing a complete operation such as unhairing, fleshing, putting-out, etc. on the whole area of a hide or skin during a single passage of the work piece through the machine.

The machines of the type disclosed in the patents referred to have proven their ability to increase the output substantially with an accompanying decrease in labor when compared with the results secured in using prior machines designed to carry out the same operations in tanneries.

With such through-feed machines an additional advantage is possible as it has now been found feasible to associate a series of them whereby an individual operator may assume control of the series and efficiently carry out similar or different but necessarily consecutive operations on a number of work pieces, thereby eliminating much manual labor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel transfer mechanism which is especially adapted for transferring separate pieces of sheet-like material and which is so arranged that the pieces being conveyed or a portion of said piece may pass through spaces between stations which carry the work. This arrangement is particularly adaptable to use in conjunction with through-feed machines for operating upon separate pieces of sheet-like material and more particularly for use in conjunction with a through-feed machine of the type wherein an intermediate portion of the skin is first discharged from the machine as illustrated in the aforementioned Edgar patent.

It is an object of the present invention to provide multiple tanning machines arranged in series and associated with mechanism for automatically and consecutively transferring individual work pieces through the series of machines. Another object of the invention 1s to provide a through-feed machine in combination wlth a transfer mechanism for carrying a treated work piece from the machine.

of the type disclosed in the patents referred to.

ice

To this end and in accordance with an important feature of the invention, a series of through-feed machines is provided which machines are mechanically associated by work transfer mechanism including at least one conveyor arranged automatically to contact and carry a work piece from a machine in the series which has completed its treatment. Another feature is an endless conveyor employing transverse bars for carrying a treated work piece from a through-feed machine and for depositing or draping the same over or on a support.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view through a series of two tannery machines associated by means of a work conveyor system thus forming a combination embodying the principles of the present invention, the figure showing a work piece being introduced into each machine;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but with a work piece fed to a similar and sufficient extent into each machine so that treatment of the work pieces may be initiated;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the machine shown at the left in Figs. 1 and 2 but with the rolls positioned for initial treatment of one half of the work piece introduced therein;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the machine shown at the right in Figs. 1 and 2 but with the rolls positioned simultaneously to treat both halves of the work piece previously introduced therein;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the work piece in each machine in the final stage of treatment by the rolls;

Fig. 6 is a more detailed view and drawn to a larger scale of some of the transfer mechanism of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 5, but one of the machines depicted is the final machine in a series;

Fig. 7 is a view, partially in section and drawn to a still larger scale, of details as seen in the direction of the arrow H in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, drawn to the same scale as Fig. 7, taken along the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a section along the line IX-IX of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of the electrical control circuits for each transfer mechanism operative between machines.

In each of Figs. 1, 2 and 5 two identical machines 10 and 12 are associated together and these machines am It w' be understood that although only two machines are shown, a series of three or more may be utilized without departing from the spirit of the present invention and that a portion of a second transfer system is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 leading to a third machine such as the machine 12F in Fig. 6. The details of each machine are not depicted as they are amply illustrated in the patents referred to and such details do not constitute a part of the present invention. Obviously, the final machine in the series may be a vat, drum, horse or some other device not of a through-feed nature or it may be a belt conveyor.

The machine 10 is provided with two bladed rolls 14 and 16, two feed rolls 18 and 20 and two bed rolls 22 and 24. The bed roll 22 is arranged to move bodily and horizontally for opening and closing with respect to the bladed roll 14 and the feed roll 18. The same is true of the bed roll 24 which cooperates with the bladed roll 16 and the feed roll 20.

The operation of the individual machine 10 is fully described in the McIlvin et al. patent referred to but it may be stated that an operator extends or drops one end of a work piece W2 downwardly and between the bed rolls 22 and 24 and the feed rolls 18 and 20, as shown in Fig. 1. The cycle of operation of this machine 10 is such that the bed roll 22 is first caused to slide or move to the left into the position shown in Fig. 3 and, as a consequence of the cooperation of the rolls 14 and 18, treatment of the trailing half of the work piece W2 is initiated. At the proper moment, and subsequent to this action, the lower bed roll 24 moves to the left to the position as shown in Fig. 5, and there cooperates with 3 the rolls 16 and 20 to treat the untreated or leading half portion of the work W2 as the doubled or intermediate treated portion of the work piece is discharged from the machine.

When an individual machine 10 or 12F has concluded its treatment of a given work piece W2 or W4 the bed rolls return to their positions as shown in Fig. 1 with respect to the machine 10 and that particular machine is ready for the insertion of a subsequent work piece to be treated.

It will be understood that power means are provided for constantly rotating the rolls of each machine. The mechanism for driving the rolls is not shown in the drawings as such mechanism forms no part of the present invention.

The machine 12 is similar in all respects to the machine 10 except that a motor 30 is mounted on one side of its casing with the aid of a bracket 32 (Fig. 1) and this motor 30 is arranged by means of a chain 34 to drive a sprocket 36 through a solenoid operated clutch (not shown in the drawings). These details are also present in the machine 12F (Fig. 6). The sprocket 36 is mounted on a short shaft 38 (Fig. 6) journaled in one end of the casing of each of the machines 12 and 12F. This shaft 38 does not extend the full width of the machine 12 or 12F but is merely of sufiicient length to support the sprocket 36 and a second and larger sprocket 39 mounted coaxially with the sprocket 36. Another sprocket is mounted on the other side of the machine 12 or 12F on a short shaft similar to shaft 38 and is not shown in the drawings. This sprocket cooperates with the sprocket 39 to support and drive a conveyor 40 as will be further described.

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 depict a work transfer mechanism which may be placed between any two machines of the series. The Figures 1, 2 and show sprockets 42, 44 and 46 mounted on the machine and Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 show sprockets 48, 50, 52 and 54 mounted on the machine 12. The latter group of the sprockets are also shown in the machine 12F (Fig. 6). These sprockets cooperate with the sprocket 39 properly to restrain and guide an endless link chain 60 (Figs. 6-9) having rollers 62. It will be understood that a similar set of sprockets and an endless chain (not shown in the drawings) are utilized to carry the other side of the endless belt conveyor 40 of which the aforesaid link chains are a part.

The conveyor belt 40 comprises two endless link belts 60 and two spaced groups or stations of transverse angle bars 64 and 66. It will be noted that the two stations of bars are spaced a considerable distance from each other so that there are openings through the conveyor defined by adjacent station ends and also that the bars within each group or station are equally spaced.

The angle bars 64 and 66 are similarly attached to the links of the conveyor 40 and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 depict how one flange of an angle bar 66 is attached to a flat member 68 which is bolted by means of bolts 70 to a flange 72 which is integral with a link of the chain 60.

Near one end of each group of bars 64 and 66 is located a short arm 78, 80 which is adapted to trip a normally closed contactor D as will be subsequently described. The mounting of these short arms 78 and 80 is not specifically described but it will be understood that each of these arms is merely in the form of a finger joined to one of the links of the chain 60.

The machines 10 and 12 are also provided with sets of sprockets 82 and 84 upon which is mounted an endless bar conveyor 86 which is made up of two link or roller chains 88 (only one shown) having rollers 90 and equally spaced transverse angle bars 92, each of the latter being attached to a flat member 93. Each of the flat members 93 is held by means of bolts 94 to a flange 96 which is part of the chain 88. The final machine 12F (Fig. 6) is provided with a set of sprockets 84 to guide the final upper conveyor 86.

The sprocket 82 and its cooperating sprocket (the latter is not shown) serve to guide the upper conveyor 86 but dual sprockets are provided on the same axis for added guidance of the lower conveyor 40. This construction is, as stated. in the form of dual sprockets but the specific construction is not any part of the present invention and is merely a matter of design, and it is not shown in detail in the drawings. The shafts for the sprockets of the conveyor 86 may be placed the full width of the machines as they do not interfere with the work as will be apparent as the description proceeds. Conveniently, the shaft upon which the sprocket 84 is mounted extends across the machine and is geared to each of the short shafts supporting the sprockets 39 and its cooperating sprocket. The conveyor 40 may therefore be driven by the motor 30. The gearing is not shown in the drawings.

The two conveyors 40 and 86 are arranged relatively so that the lower run of the conveyor 86 will operate approximately in the same plane as and contiguously with an inclined upper run of the conveyor 40 and the angle bars 64 or 66 will nest within the angle bars 92 of the conveyor 86 and serve as a clamping means for the work, as will be further explained.

Each side of the upper run of the conveyor 86 is supported by a member 104 (Fig. 6) of U-shaped cross section which is attached by bolts (not shown) to the casings of associated machines. The rollers for the upper run are adapted to be guided within the flanges of the U-shaped member 104.

The rollers 90 of the lower run of the conveyor 86 are arranged to be guided beneath a flange 105 (Fig. 8) of an elongated member 108 which is joined to the casings of the machine by bolts such as the bolt 110.

The flat members 68 and 93 of the lower run of the conveyor 86 and of the upper inclined run of the conveyor 40 are slidably supported on two elongated fiat members 112 (only one of which is shown in the drawings, Figs. 6, 7 and 8) and the ends of each member 112 are joined to two flanged brackets 114 and 116 (Fig. 6) which are bolted to their respective machine casings.

Each machine is provided with a tray 120 for preventing the work being caught and damaged by the transfer mechanism or being contacted with oil or dirt.

Electrical power to rotate the work treating rolls of. all the machines in the series is controlled by a master switch not shown. Obviously, the circuit must be such that the motors involved are not started simultaneously. Power requirements are high on tannery machines and conventional expedients are utilized to realize consecutive starting of the motors upon closing of the switch. This switch may be mounted anywhere in the vicinity as it is closed only once a day during tannery operations.

A switch 100 (Fig. 1) is mounted on machine 10 and is utilized to initiate a cycle of operation (bodily movement of rolls 22 and 24) for a given work piece in that machine when the operator knows that the work he is introducing is in proper position. As the machines of the series are arranged to operate simultaneously on leather, this switch 100 is adapted to control the cyclic motions of the rolls 22 and 24 in all machines.

A switch C is also mounted on the machine 10 and is arranged to be tripped by a lug 102 mounted on one of the sliding bearing blocks for the lower bed roll 24. A switch D is mounted on the base of each machine except the final machine in the series.

The rolls in the machines 12 and 12F are given the same reference characters as the rolls in the machine 10, as corresponding rolls are similar. The rolls of all machines are adapted to rotate continuously. The rolls 22 and 24 of each machine move bodily to and from closed positions in a given cycle of operation as will further appear and the cycles of all machines are carried out simultaneously as above stated. With such an installation it is necessary that the transfer mechanism between machines be operated at a rate such that a work piece will be in proper position in each machine of the series for simultaneous initiation of treatment of all the work pieces.

Fig. 10 shows the circuits used for controlling the transfer mechanism for carrying consecutive work pieces from machine to machine in the series. Current is taken from the main lines A and B and a solenoid operated contactor 120 is utilized to control the solenoid operated clutch of the motor 30 which drives the transfer mechanism. Fig. 10 also shows the switches C and D (these are mounted on each machine except the last one in the series) and that figure shows a solenoid for operating a clutch on a conveyor motor 30.

In operating the series of machines only one operator is required for carrying out two or more treatments of the work. It is assumed that all rolls of all machines are rotating continuously-i. e.-that the master switch is closed. While the work treating rolls are in open positions as seen in Fig. 1, and assuming a first work piece W1 (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5) has undergone treatment in machine 10, the operator lowers the leading half of a second work piece W2 into the first machine of the series until an intermediate portion thereof is contiguous to the feed rolls 18 and and extends downwardly between the two spaced groups or stations of bars 66 and 64, as shown in Fig. 2. The switch 100 is then closed so that a predetermined cycle of operation is initiated simultaenously in all machinesi. e.--the rolls close and open in a certain predetermined cycle for each work piece, the open period giving adequate opportunity for the workman to feed a consecutive work piece into the machine 10, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

As a consequence of the cyclic operation of the entire series of machines the upper bed rolls 22 move horizontally into operative relation with their cooperating rolls in their respective machines. This particular stage of operation is depicted in Fig. 3 for machine 10 only. This initiates a simultaneous treatment of approximately onehalf of each of the work pieces previously introduced to the series of machines. One machine 12F may be scudding, another machine 12 may be unhairing and another machine 10 may be fleshing.

As the cyclic operation continues, the lower bed roll 24 of each machine moves horizontally and into cooperative relation with its rolls 16 and 20 to treat the leading half or remaining portion of the work piece in that machine.

When the lower roll 24 of the machine 10 moves horizontally and into operative relation with its rolls 16 and 20, as in Fig. 5, the normally open switch C is closed by the lug 102 and, as a consequence, the coil of the contactor 120 is energized and the contacts thereof are closed to hold the circuit as well as to energize the solenoid for operating the clutch of the conveyor motor 30. The conveyors 4t) and 86 thereby operate in the directions shown by the arrows in Fig. 2 and the leading bar 66 on the conveyor 40 contacts and subsequently pulls or carries the intermediate treated portion of the work piece W2, as shown in Fig. 5. The work is clamped between cooperating bars of the two conveyors and is carried toward the upper portion of the machine 12 or 12F, as the case may be. The leading half of the work piece W2 tends to swing downwardly and, upon being released by the rolls 18 and 20 of the machine 10 or 12, it falls down into the position shown in Fig. 6 and may rest upon a horizontal run of the conveyor 40 as a preliminary to being draped on the casing of the next machine. This is immaterial as the direction of travel of that particular run is such that there is no danger of the work being caught and damaged. It should be noted that when the leading edge of a station, for example, the leading one of bars 66, is at a point of divergence with respect to the upper conveyor, that is at the end of the run of the lower conveyor which is contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor, the opening between said one of the bars 66 and the adjacent station end, that is, the trailing one of bars 64, extends along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor, allowing the depending portion of the work piece W2 to be deposited on the hood of machine 12. If desired, a deflector plate may be installed to support the work out of contact with the conveyor 40. In such a case it is not expedient to shorten the conveyor 40 so that it may operate directly between the sprockets 48 and 50 as a long conveyor 40 is necessary for proper timing in the operation of the series. The bars of the conveyor 40 are in two spaced groups or stations to increase efliciency and a long conveyor is needed for the two groups. If two stations were not used, too long a period of time would intervene before the conveyor 40 involved would operate to transfer the next work piece.

When the treatment of a given work piece is concluded in machine 10 the lower bed roll 24 moves horizontally and out of operative position and as a consequence the switch C opens. This has no immediate result as the contactor D (Fig. 10) holds the circuit closed.

When the arm 78 on the conveyor 40 comes into contact with the contactor D it serves to open the latter and as a consequence the clutch for the motor is disengaged and the electrical circuit is automatically reset for the next work piece to be introduced to the machine 10.

The transfer mechanism comprising the two conveyors and 86 are illustrated and described for operation with simultaneous work cycles for the machines of the series. An advantage of this type of transfer mechanism is that it supplies feed-pull assistance to the work being treated by the work rolls 14 and 16 in case there is any slippage of the work relative to the feed rolls 18 and 20. This is true, however, only until the mid-point of the hide which was first clamped between the bars 64 and 66 reaches the delivery point at the sprocket 39. Thus, as long as the distance between the bolster 24 and the sprocket 39 is greater than half the length of the skin, complete feedpull assistance will be supplied by the transfer mechalllSm.

it is possible for production losses to occur where an operator may feed a new hide into machine 10 faster than the transfer mechanism may feed a new hide into machine 12 and return to its start position, as shown in Fig. 2. In those cases the production loss can be minimized by speeding up the conveyor after the hide has been released by machine 10, in which case the machines 10 and 12 would still be operated simultaneously. That is, the bolsters 22 and 24 of each machine would be operated at the same time.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mechanically associated series of through-feed tanning machines including mechanism for transferring a work piece through the series, said mechanism comprising endless conveyors, and one of said conveyors passing through at least one of said machines and being arranged to contact and carry an intermediate portion of said work piece from said one of the machines.

2. A series of through-feed machines for treating sheets of material such as hides and skins, mechanism associated with said machines for consecutively transferring work pieces through the series, and said mechanism including at least one conveyor having a transverse member arranged to contact an intermediate portion of one of said work pieces and pull said portion from one of said through-feed machines.

3. A series of through-feed machines with at least one of said machines utilizing work treating and feeding rolls for contacting both halves of a given work piece simultaneously, mechanism associated with said machines for transferring a work piece through the series, and said mechanism including at least one conveyor arranged to contact and carry an intermediate portion of said work piece from said one of the machines.

4. A mechanically associated series of through-feed tanning machines, at least one of said machines having means for treating the leading and trailing portions of a work piece simultaneously, mechanism for transferring said work piece from said one machine to the next, and said mechanism including a conveyor with a transverse member for contacting and carrying an intermediate portion of said work piece.

5. A mechanically associated series of through-feed tanning machines, at least one of said machines having an upper set of rolls for treating one portion of a hide and a lower set of rolls for treating the remaining portion of said hide, mechanism for transferring said hide from said one machine to the next in the series, and said mechanism including a conveyor with a member parallel to said rolls for contacting and carrying an intermediate portion of said hide.

6. A mechanically associated series of through-feed tannmg machines, at least one of said machines having an upper set of rolls for treating one portion of a hide and a lower set of rolls for treating the remaining portion of said hide, and work transfer mechanism includmg a member parallel to said rolls for contacting an intermediate portion of said hide to transfer the latter from said one machine to the next in the series.

7. A through-feed machine having an upper set of rolls for treating one portion of a hide and a lower set of rolls for treating the remaining portion of said hide, the arrangement being such that treatment of said portions is simultaneous, and a transfer mechanism associated with said through-feed machine, said mechanism including a conveyor system with means for clamping an intermediate portion of the said hide for carrying the hide from the machine b" means of said system.

8. A through-feed machine for treating a hide and discharging an intermediate portion of the hide first, and a transfer mechanism associated with said machine, said mechanism including a bar arranged to contact the said intermediate portion and subsequently carry the said hide from the machine.

9. A mechanically associated series of through-feed machines, each of at least two of said machines having separate sets of rolls for treating opposite ends of a hide simultaneously and discharging an intermediate portion of said hide first, and a transfer mechanism including an element arranged to contact the said intermediate portion of said hide in one of said two machines and clarry said hide to the top of the other of said two mac mes.

10. Two mechanically associated through-feed machines, each of said machines having rolls for treating a hide preliminarily fed thereto in a downward direction and for discharging an intermediate portion of said hide first, and a transfer mechanism including two endless conveyors connecting the two machines, one of said conveyors having crossbars with one of said bars arranged to contact said intermediate portion and the other of said conveyors having a crossbar to cooperate with said one bar to clamp said intermediate portion as discharged from one machine and carry the said hide to a zone above the rolls of the other machine.

11. A through-feed machine for treating a hide and discharging an intermediate portion of the hide first, and a transfer mechanism including two cooperating conveyors, transverse bars on each of said conveyors, the said bars being arranged to clamp and support about one half of said hide beginning with the said intermediate portion and subsequently carry the said hide from the machine and drape the other half of said hide over a support, and the said conveyors being arranged progressively to release the said one half of said hide from the clamping action of the said bars over the support to deposit the entire hide on the latter.

12. A device for transferring hides and skins comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor and means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having work engaging means movable therewith, said lower conveyor work engaging means including at least one work engaging element adapted to pass along said contiguous run to coact with the work engaging means of the upper conveyor, said lower conveyor also having at least one opening defined by the ends of the work engaging means, said opening extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining said opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor.

13. A device for transferring hides and skins comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor, means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having work engaging means movable therewith, said lower conveyor work engaging means including at least one work engaging element adapted to pass along said contiguous run to coact with the work engaging means of the upper conveyor, said lower conveyor also having at least one opening defined by the ends of the work engaging means, said opening extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining said opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor and intermittently operated means for actuating said conveyors.

14. A device for transferring hides and skins comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor, and means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having a plurality of work engaging means movable therewith, each of said lower conveyor work engaging means comprising at least one work engaging element adapted to pass along said contiguous run to coact with the work engaging means of the upper conveyor, said lower conveyor also having openings defined by the ends of the work engaging means, each of said openings extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of a work engaging means defining such opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor.

15. A device for transferring hides and skins comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor, and means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having a plurality of work engaging means movable therewith, each of said lower conveyor work engaging means comprising evenly spaced transverse members adapted to pass along said contiguous run to coact with the work engaging means of the upper conveyor, said work engaging means being separated by openings defined by the ends of the work engaging means, each of said openings extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining such opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor.

16. A device for transferring hides and skins associated with a through-feed machine, said device comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor, and means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having a plurality of work engaging means, each of said lower conveyor work engaging means comprising a plurality of equally spaced transverse members adapted to pass along said contiguous run to coact with the work engaging means of the upper conveyor to carry work pieces away from said through-feed machine, said lower conveyor having openings defined by the ends of the work engaging means, each of said openings ex tending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining such opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor, thereby permitting discharge of at least a portion of a work piece.

17. A device for transferring hides and skins associated with a through-feed leather treating machine, said device comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor, means about which the lower conveyor passes to comrnence its return run, said lower conveyor having a plurality of work engaging means movable therewith, each of said lower conveyor work engaging means comprising a plurality of spaced transverse members adapted to pass along said contiguous run to coact with the work engaging means of the upper conveyor, said lower conveyor also having openings defined by the ends of the Work engaging means each of said openings extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining said opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor, and power operated means which intermittently operate said conveyors in such time relationship that the leading transverse member of a work engaging means in the lower conveyor clamps each work piece discharged by said through-feed machine against the work engaging means of the upper conveyor thereby carrying it away from said through-feed machine and depositing a portion or the work piece through an adjacent opening into a work receiving zone.

18. A device for transferring hides and skins associated with a through-feed machine of the type wherein an intermediate portion of the work piece is first discharged from the machine, said device comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor and a second run extending from said machine which leads to the contiguous run, and means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having work engaging means movable therewith, for carrying the intermediate portion of a work piece away from the through-feed machine to said contiguous run where it is clamped against the upper conveyor, said lower conveyor also having at least one opening defined by the ends of the work engaging means, said opening extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining said opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor thereby permitting discharge of a portion of the work piece into a work receiving zone.

19. A device for transferring hides and skins associated with a through-feed machine of the type wherein an intermediate portion of the work is first discharged from the machine, said device comprising an upper conveyor having work engaging means, a lower conveyor having one run which is substantially contiguous with a run of the upper conveyor and a second run extending from said machine which leads to the contiguous run, means about which the lower conveyor passes to commence its return run, said lower conveyor having a plurality of work engaging means movable therewith, each of said lower conveyor work engaging means comprising a plurality of spaced transverse member arranged to carry the intermediate portion of a work piece along said second run and clamp it against the work engaging means of the upper conveyor, said lower conveyor having openings defined by the ends of the work engaging means, each of said openings extending along at least a portion of the return run of the lower conveyor when the leading end of the work engaging means defining such opening moves out of contiguous relation with said upper conveyor, thereby permitting a portion of each conveyed work piece to be discharged into a work receiving zone and power means for intermittently operating said conveyors in such time relationship that the leading transverse member of a work engaging means in the lower conveyor engages the intermediate portion of the work piece to carry it along said second run and away from the through-feed machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 290,885 Hyam Dec. 25, 1883 1,191,521 La Francis July 18, 1916 1,228,200 1917 1,463,542 1923 2,001,345 1935 2,223,704 Powell Dec. 3. 1940 

